Derm-approved solutions for six common skin mishaps.

Doctor's Orders

Doctor's Orders

Three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and blemishes. No matter how diligently one follows her skin-care routine, emergencies are impossible to avoid. “Stress, hormones, diet—many factors affect how we look, and they can manifest at unexpected times,” says NYC-based dermatologist Francesca Fusco, MD. Try these derm-approved tips for common skin mishaps.

Breakout

Breakout

Although a blemish will take several days to heal, reducing its size and color will make it easier to hide.

Fast Fix: Take a close look at the spot. See white? Apply a warm compress to open the pore and draw out the trapped bacteria, says Fusco, and follow with a disinfecting astringent, such as witch hazel. If the bump is hard and red, ice it for a few minutes, then follow with several drops of redness-reducing eyedrops. “Both will constrict the small surface blood vessels,” Fusco says.